Improvement in harness



l. ELLIS.

Harness.

N0 128 377 Patented June 25,1872.

NM1-Auswhwmlvm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. j

IRA ELLIS, OF TYLER, TEXAS."

IMPROVEMENT IN HARNESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,377,l dated June25, 1872; antedated J une 15, 1 87'2.

Be it known that I, IRA ELLIS, of the town of Tyler, countyof Smith, andState of Texas, have invented an Improved Harness; and I hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing whereon is exhibited allthat I claim as pertaining to my invention, and which must be taken as apart of this specification.

The improvements embraced in my device involve simplicity and economy ofconstruction, and great facility with which the same can be attached toor detached from the draft animal upon which it may be employed, besidespossessing the important characteristic of great elasticity in all partswhich are most likely to be subjected to a sudden and heavy strain.

Upon the drawing, to which reference must now be made, is shown atFigure l my improvement as connected with the shafts and forward wheelsof a wagon. Fig. 2 is a front view of the collar, detached from tlieshafts, and unlocked at the bottom thereof. Fig. 3 is a front view ofthe bits, as detached from the other parts of the harness.

The similar letters refer to the corresponding parts of my improvedharness, hereinafter more fullydescribed.

. To the outer ends of the shafts A are attached the spiral metalsprings B, inclosed within the metal barrels or cylinders C. To theinner sides of the said metal cylinders C are rigidly secured the twosides of the collar D. The outer parts of the said collar D are made ofmetal in two parts with the inner sides thereof properly padded with anysuitable, flexible material, as horse-collars are usually constructed.The outer metal parts of this collar are connected at the top by ahinged or pivoted joint, a, and when adjusted to the neck of the draftanimal are connected at their bottom or lower ends by the pin b andspringcatch c passing through and locking their lowerdownward-projecting extremities d d.

The collar aforesaid is furthermore provided upon its outer side withthe rings e e', through which pass the lines f f from the bridle-bits gand the line h, which latter is designed to subserve the purpose ofenabling the driver at his pleasure to unlock the springcatch caforesaid. It will be perceived th at the bridle E is connected to the collar D by the metal rods t', and the two sides of the said bridle aredetachable atthe bitsbyaspring and lock-catch Within the said bits. Thebridle, at Fig. 3, is shown unlocked, and one catch is shown at 7c,while the proximate catch with spring is inclosed between thebit-plates, and neither is, therefore, visible on the drawing. Fis abreechband, likewise of metal,'with the inner sides thereof suitablypadded. The forward ends of this band pass through an oblong mortise orgroove in the shafts, and arev made adj ustable to any ordinary-sizeddraft animal by simply placing the slots O therein forward or backwardupon the pins m. G Vis a springplate, with the rear end rigidly securedto the forward axle of the wagon, and with its opposite. end passingunder the cross-bar of the shafts. This spring-plate is to assist, tosome extent, in supporting the forward ends of the shafts and of theharness connected therewith, and thereby relieve the draft animal of theburden of sustaining so much weight as would otherwise beimposed uponhim. The same object is furthermore accomplished by the driver placinghis foot upon the lever H, having its fulcrum upon the end of the bar I,and its lower extremity connected by the chain n with the cross-bar ofthe shafts.

It will now be plainly perceived that the simple harness abovedescribed, as connected with the wagon-shaft, is complete and at alltimes ready to be quickly adjusted to the draft animalsimply by raisingthe shafts and the harness therewith connected, and by backing theanimal under them, whereupon the said shafts and harness are lowered,the collar upon his shoulders and neck and the'bridleupon his head.rllhe lower part of the collar and bits are then locked, as hereinbefore described, and the operation of harnessing the animal and ofattaching him to the wagon are thus complete. Unlocking the bits andcollar completethe operation of unharnessin g, and thereby of detachingthe draft animal from the wagon.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patentis the following claims:

1. The collar D having a pivot or hinged joint, a, and the lower endthereof secured by the spring-lock catch, above described, when the saidcollar is rigidly attached to the springs B B", placed upon the shafts AA', substantiallyas described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The breech-band F, constructed with the slots O, and made adjustableupon the pins m, as described, for the purposes set forth.

3. The bridle E, when constructed with the lock-bit g, as described, forthe purposes set forth. v

4. The harness herein described, when connected with the shafts of awagon, substantially as herein described, and for the purposes setforth.

IRA ELLIS. Witnesses:

H. N. JENKINS, E. H. LEVY.

